German flux and cleaning specialist Emil Otto is expanding its range of cleaning agents for the solar industry with four new products and will be presenting them to trade visitors for the first time at Intersolar 2024 in Munich. All four products have been developed specifically for cleaning solar modules.
"Our participation in Intersolar 2023 showed us that there is a great demand for specific cleaning media for this area of application. We have therefore decided to develop further new products for the upcoming Intersolar and present them in Munich," explains Markus Geßner, Head of Marketing and Sales at Emil Otto GmbH. The solar module cleaners EO-SMC-001 to -004 are similar in their formulation and area of application.
EO-SMC-001 is a mild alkaline, VOC-free cleaning agent. The cleaner has a mild odor, is water-based and therefore biodegradable, ready to use and can be used for both manual and automatic cleaning of solar modules. Due to its very good wetting properties on surfaces, EO-SMC-001 can be applied by spraying, brushing or other automatic cleaning systems. The alkaline formulation has a high degree of efficiency, which helps to efficiently remove both acidic and saline soiling. After cleaning, no greasy residues or other impurities are left behind that could impair the efficiency of the solar module. Due to its water base, the cleaning agent is not classified as a hazardous product.
The situation is similar for the cleaning agents EO-SMC-002 and -003. EO-SMC-002 is a mildly acidic cleaning agent, while EO-SMC-003 is based on a neutral formulation. The cleaning results and application options of both cleaning media correspond to those of EO-SMC-001. However, due to the neutral formulation, EO-SMC-003 is a pH-neutral cleaner. pH-neutral cleaners are particularly gentle on sensitive materials. Soiling and deposits on the modules, such as dust, pollen or contamination from road traffic, can be reliably removed with EO-SMC-003.
The new product range is completed by the water-based cleaning agent EO-SMC-004, which was specially developed for removing lichens, mosses, algae and some types of mold. This is a cleaner based on an active oxygen formulation. The EO-SMC-004 can also be used to efficiently remove acidic and saline soiling. "As many solar installations are located on meadows or green spaces, we have focused on high environmental compatibility. All new cleaning agents can therefore be used in these environments without any problems. They contain neither flammable nor corrosive additives and can be rinsed off the modules with water after use. Residual foams etc. have no negative impact on fauna and flora," says Geßner.